Ultrasonic pre-surface and post-surface processing for laser brazing and laser welding

Abstract

A laser brazing and welding system is disclosed and includes: a laser; a first cutting tool including a first cutting tip; and a control module. The control module is configured to control the laser to laser braze or laser weld two parts; and control ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip to remove one or more layers from at least one of the two parts prior to or subsequent to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A cutting, laser brazing and welding system comprising:
 a laser; 
 a first cutting tool comprising a first cutting tip; and 
 a control module configured to
 control the laser to laser braze or laser weld two parts, and 
 control ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip to remove one or more layers from at least one of the two parts prior to or subsequent to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts. 
 
 
     
     
       2. The cutting, laser brazing and welding system of  claim 1 , wherein the first cutting tool further comprises a plurality of transducers configured to move the first cutting tip,
 wherein the control module is configured to control supply of power to the plurality of transducers to control the ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip. 
 
     
     
       3. The cutting, laser brazing and welding system of  claim 2 , wherein the plurality of transducers are piezoelectric transducers. 
     
     
       4. The cutting, laser brazing and welding system of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the two parts comprise a first part and a second part; 
 the first cutting tip is a dual cutting tip configured to cut the two parts concurrently; and 
 the control module is configured to control the ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip to concurrently remove a first layer from the first part and a second layer from the second part prior to or subsequent to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts, the one or more layers comprising the first layer and the second layer. 
 
     
     
       5. The cutting, laser brazing and welding system of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one robot,
 wherein the control module is configured to control the at least one robot to control position of the first cutting tool and the laser relative to the two parts during removal of the one or more layers from the at least one of the two parts prior and during the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts. 
 
     
     
       6. The cutting, laser brazing and welding system of  claim 1 , further comprising a second cutting tool comprising a second cutting tip,
 wherein the control module is configured to i) control the ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip to remove the one or more layers from the at least one of the two parts prior to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts; and ii) control ultrasonic vibration of the second cutting tip to remove a second one or more layers from the at least one of the two parts subsequent to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts. 
 
     
     
       7. The cutting, laser brazing and welding system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first cutting tool further comprises a first plurality of transducers configured to move the first cutting tip; and 
 the second cutting tool further comprises a second plurality of transducers configured to move the second cutting tip, 
 wherein the control module is configured to control supply of power to i) the first plurality of transducers to control the ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip, and ii) the second plurality of transducers to control the ultrasonic vibration of the second cutting tip. 
 
     
     
       8. The cutting, laser brazing and welding system of  claim 7 , wherein the first plurality of transducers and the second plurality of transducers are piezoelectric transducers. 
     
     
       9. The cutting, laser brazing and welding system of  claim 6 , wherein:
 the first cutting tip is a dual cutting tip configured to cut the two parts concurrently, the two parts comprising a first part and a second part; 
 the second cutting tip is a dual cutting tip configured to cut the two parts concurrently; and 
 the control module is configured to i) control the ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip to perform the cutting of the two parts to remove a first layer from the first part and a second layer from the second part prior to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts, the one or more layers comprising the first layer and the second layer and ii) control the ultrasonic vibration of the second cutting tip to perform the cutting of the two parts to remove another layer from each of the two parts subsequent to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts. 
 
     
     
       10. The cutting, laser brazing and welding system of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a nozzle; and 
 a pump connected to the nozzle, 
 wherein the control module is configured to control the pump to draw or blow particles formed during the removal of the one or more layers from the at least one of the two parts. 
 
     
     
       11. A cutting, laser brazing and welding system method comprising:
 arranging two parts of an automotive vehicle to be joined relative to each other and relative to a cutting, laser brazing and welding assembly, the cutting, laser brazing and welding assembly comprising a laser and a first cutting tool, the first cutting tool comprises a first cutting tip; 
 controlling the laser to laser braze or laser weld two parts; and 
 controlling ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip to remove one or more layers from at least one of the two parts prior to or subsequent to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts. 
 
     
     
       12. The cutting, laser brazing and welding method of  claim 11 , further comprising controlling supply of power to a plurality of transducers of the first cutting tool to control the ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip. 
     
     
       13. The cutting, laser brazing and welding method of  claim 12 , wherein the plurality of transducers are piezoelectric transducers. 
     
     
       14. The cutting, laser brazing and welding method of  claim 11 , further comprising controlling the ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip to concurrently remove a first layer from a first part and a second layer from a second part prior to or subsequent to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts, the one or more layers comprising the first layer and the second layer, the two parts comprising the first part and the second part, and the first cutting tip is a dual cutting tip configured to cut the two parts concurrently. 
     
     
       15. The cutting, laser brazing and welding method of  claim 11 , further comprising controlling position of the first cutting tool and the laser relative to the two parts during removal of the one or more layers from the at least one of the two parts prior and during the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts. 
     
     
       16. The cutting, laser brazing and welding method of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 controlling the ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip to remove the one or more layers from the at least one of the two parts prior to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts; and 
 controlling ultrasonic vibration of a second cutting tip to remove a second one or more layers from the at least one of the two parts subsequent to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts, the cutting, laser brazing and welding assembly comprising a second cutting tool comprising the second cutting tip. 
 
     
     
       17. The cutting, laser brazing and welding method of  claim 16 , further comprising controlling supply of power to i) a first plurality of transducers to control the ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip, and ii) a second plurality of transducers to control the ultrasonic vibration of the second cutting tip, the first cutting tool comprising the first plurality of transducers, and the second cutting tool comprising the second plurality of transducers. 
     
     
       18. The cutting, laser brazing and welding method of  claim 17 , wherein the first plurality of transducers and the second plurality of transducers are piezoelectric transducers. 
     
     
       19. The cutting, laser brazing and welding method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 controlling the ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip to perform the cutting of the two parts to remove a first layer from a first part and a second layer from a second part prior to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts, the one or more layers comprising the first layer and the second layer, the first cutting tip is a dual cutting tip configured to cut the two parts concurrently, and the two parts comprise the first part and the second part; and 
 controlling the ultrasonic vibration of the second cutting tip to perform the cutting of the two parts to remove another layer from each of the two parts subsequent to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts, the second cutting tip is a dual cutting tip configured to cut the two parts concurrently. 
 
     
     
       20. The cutting, laser brazing and welding method of  claim 11 , further comprising controlling a pump to draw or blow particles formed during the removal of the one or more layers from the at least one of the two parts.